Empty Net
Page 22

 Toni Aleo

  • Background:
  • Text Font:
  • Text Size:
  • Line Height:
  • Line Break Height:
  • Frame:
Wow, she was being a bitch, but she couldn’t help it. She was beyond embarrassed and a little drunk. She also hated that she still wanted to know him. Why did he have to be so young and sexy? Couldn’t she pick up a guy her age? Was she that hopeless that she went for the first guy who hit on her? When she glanced up and her eyes met with Blondie’s, oh wait, Tate’s, her heart started to race. He was looking at her with such a wounded look. Did he really think that something was going to happen between them?
Audrey watched as his hand moved towards her, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Nice to see you again, Audrey.”
With that he walked away and Audrey’s shoulders sank. She wanted to run after him and apologize. She wanted to make him realize that she wasn’t good enough for him, he was too sweet, too innocent…okay, innocent was a long shot, she remembered the things he did in that bed. He was very much a man, but still, she felt bad. Tate deserved a young girl, someone with bright blonde hair and blue eyes so that when they are ready, they could make beautiful little blonde-haired, blue-eyed babies. Audrey wasn’t that person. For some reason her heart hurt, she had this fantasy about Blondie and now that she knew who he was, her fantasy was gone. He was untouchable.
“Who was that?” Audrey turned to see that Piper had returned.
“That guy I slept with after Fallon’s bridal shower,” Audrey said with a huff before finishing off her ninth glass of champagne.
“Really?! Good God, he was beautiful! Why aren’t you trying to do a repeat!?” Piper exclaimed.
“Because he is a baby, and my brother-in-law’s best friend, and my neighbor.”
Piper eyes went wide, “Wow, A, you sure know how to pick ’em.”
Audrey laughed, “Right!?”
***
Well, that didn’t go well.
Tate was sure that when their eyes met Audrey would have remembered the moments when they were in bed together, but for some reason, she hadn’t. She was hot and cold in a matter of minutes. One minute she wants to know who he is, the next she is basically dismissing him! What the hell!? So what that he was Lucas’ friend? As soon as he told Lucas that he wanted Audrey, he was pretty sure that Lucas would be supportive. Lucas was a little weird when it came to Audrey but surely he knew Tate was a good guy.
But honestly, what was her deal? She acted like she was better than him or something. They both wanted what happened in that bed. He was the same person then as he is now, so what was the problem? She wanted him with fierceness that he had never experienced. She basically ate him alive and boy, did he do the same to her. He still couldn’t stop thinking of her sexy little body touching his. Her soft beautiful skin hot against his. Man, he was getting hard just thinking of it.
Tate looked through the crowd until he found Audrey standing with Piper. Two beautiful women in one spot didn’t help his hard on and when Audrey moved her hand down the crease of her breast, Tate couldn’t breathe. He watched as she talked and found that he loved the way her glossed up lips moved. The way her eyes widened with each word, or how, when she laughed, she laughed with her whole body. She was bright like the sun, and he was drawn to her light. He craved it. She was radiant and he needed her. All of her.
Suddenly, a guy came towards her and it was as if her light shut off. Piper looked at the guy and then at Audrey before looking away. The guy looked like someone off that show that Anderson always watched; Jersey Shore or something like that. He was short; dark featured, and had a weird buzzed head. Tate hated him instantly. Tate watched as Audrey’s body tense up when the guy slowly grazed his hand down her cheek.
“What are you staring at this time? Still Audrey?” Phillip asked, “Dude, just go over and talk to her, she’s really nice.”
Tate shook his head, “She blew me off.”
Phillip laughed, “Really? That’s crazy.”
“Yeah,” Tate agreed watching as Piper walked away with a worried look on her face. Tate felt an overwhelming need to go over there and make sure Audrey was okay. Her face was twisted in worry and the guy kept getting closer as she tried to get away.
“Ah, forget her. She isn’t worth it.”
Tate couldn’t have disagreed more.
She was worth it, and she was going to be his.
***
Not good, not good, not good.
“You look amazing, A, so f**king amazing,” Levi whispered against her cheek.
Levi’s hard hot body pressed against her. The hair along his jaw tickled her cheek while his spicy cologne played tricks with her mind. God, he smelled good, but she knew this was bad. She couldn’t let Levi get to her; she had to withstand him. He was going to hurt her and she knew it, but when he looked into her eyes, his bright hazel eyes swirling with lust, Audrey had a hard time remembering that he could break her into a billion pieces… again. She didn’t know what it was, but this man always had her coming back for more.
“I’ve missed you, Cupcake. Haven’t you missed me?” he whispered again.
Ah, her nickname from him. No matter what, he could have her withering with just that one sweet word. It was as if the word caressed her, making her feel like she never wanted anything else but to drown in his love and worry about the hurt later. For right now, he wanted her, and maybe later he would too, but she was living for right now. And now, she wanted him.
“I have,” she whispered back as his lips dusted her cheek.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”